


The Foxhole Cinema

by Captain_Crow_007



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Exy (All For The Game), Betsy is a movie reviewer, Cinema AU, Demisexual Neil Josten, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Kevin and Riko are actors, M/M, Movie AU, POV Neil Josten, Protective Andrew Minyard, Sassy Neil Josten, Soft Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard, The foxes work in a cinema, and Abby makes popcorn, is it clear i have no clue how to tag?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-21 04:40:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30016278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captain_Crow_007/pseuds/Captain_Crow_007
Summary: The Foxhole Cinema is a small cinema run by David Wymack with his crew of loyal misfits. When Neil Josten finds himself thrust into working there, he gets more than he bargains for: a family. Despite everything that could go wrong, what with his mysterious co-worker who seems to have it out for him,  the famous actor Riko Moriyama who hates his guts, and his Mafia Lord father and his posse, he finally has a shot at happiness.
Relationships: Aaron Minyard & Andrew Minyard, Abby Winfield/David Wymack, Allison Reynolds/Renee Walker (All For The Game), Andrew Minyard & Renee Walker, Katelyn/Aaron Minyard, Kevin Day/Thea Muldani, Matt Boyd & Neil Josten, Matt Boyd/Danielle "Dan" Wilds, Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard, Nicky Hemmick/Erik Klose
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic on here, but I have a pretty good idea of where I want it to go, so buckle up!

Neil Josten sat in the ticket booth with his small cup of popcorn and popped another kernel into his mouth.

Hernandez watched him with narrowed eyes from where he stood on the other side of the room, near the large glass doors that marked the entrance to the Millport Cinema.

“You better be ready for a busy day today kid,” Hernandez croaked, looking through the doors at the crowds already building outside. “This looks as if it’ll be our biggest crowd in months.”

Neil shifted in his seat and tugged at a strand of his carefully dyed hair. Hopefully, his disguise would be good enough to hold up in front of all the people here to see _**Raven King**_ on its first day at the cinema. There was always a crowd when a movie starring Riko Moriyama came out, even in a backwater town like Millport, Arizona. Today was no different, even though this was the first movie Riko had featured in without his partner, Kevin Day.

Hernandez sighed at his lack of a response. “Have you ever thought of doing something more than collecting tickets in this small, dingy cinema?”

Neil raised a sceptical eyebrow at his employer. “Why do you have it out for your own Cinema?”

“I don’t,” Hernandez said, rubbing his neck, “but you’ve worked for me for a while now, and I don’t know anything about you. Your hopes, your goals. Gee, I’ve never even met your family.”

“They’re busy,” Neil said drily. He didn’t like it when Hernandez pried, even if the man meant well.

“You work at the _Cinema_ ,” Hernandez stressed, “I’ve offered you and your family free tickets for plenty of movies, and you’ve turned them all down.”

“Like I said,” Neil repeated, setting his Popcorn aside, “They’re busy.”

“But you aren’t,” Hernandez continued, “do you do anything fun at all? Ever? All I ever see you do is sit here and work.”

“Would you rather I didn’t work?” Neil asked heatedly. “You pay me to work, what else do you want me to do?”

“Kid,” Hernandez said ruefully, “I don’t think my Cinema is a good fit for you. Hell, I don’t think Millport is a good fit for you!”

Neil stood from his chair and stalked towards Hernandez. “And where are you going with this, Hernandez?”

“Christ, you don’t make this easy for me, do you?” Hernandez grimaced. “I’m firing you, for your own damn good!”

“My own good?” Neil spat. “You think leaving me without a job is for my own good?”

Hernandez slammed a fist against the wall, and Neil flinched away from it on instinct. For a split second, he saw not Hernandez standing in front of him, but his Father. Hernandez saw the movement and his face crumpled.

“I’m not leaving you without a job,” Hernandez sighed. “I’ve found someone willing to employ you with the same job you have here, but at a Cinema with a bigger team of kids your age, instead of just you.”

When Neil did nothing but fix Hernandez with a frosty glare, the man continued. “You’re always isolated, and it’s not good for you. At this new place, you could make some friends and-”

“No!” Neil shouted as he took another step backwards. Hernandez was trying to help, but Neil didn’t do friends. Friends were just more things to be wary of, more people to betray and hurt you, more people to have to hide from. By trying to push Neil out of his shell, Hernandez was going to dig him deeper into it in order to survive.

The back door to the cinema swung open, and Neil span around to face the bulky man in the doorway. His arms were crossed, and tribal flame tattoos wound their way up from his wrists.

“I was waiting for Hernandez to introduce me” the stranger said, “but since he was doing a shit job of it, I figured I’d step in.”

Neil took one look at him and rushed for the exit, but Hernandez blocked his way. “Listen to what the man has to say, dammit!”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Josten,” the stranger snapped.

“Thanks for the heart attack,” Neil shot back. Hernandez groaned, and the stranger chuckled.

“I’m David Wymack,” the stranger said, extending his hand. He didn’t seem too upset when Neil made no move to shake it. “I run The Foxhole Cinema in Palmetto state, and I’m interested in offering you a job.”

Neil’s world ground to a halt. He’d heard about David Wymack- everyone who worked with films in any way knew about him. After Kevin Day broke both his legs in a skiing accident and withdrew from acting, he’d gone to recuperate at Wymack’s cinema for some unknown reason. The press had speculated that even though he couldn’t act in movies, he wanted to be surrounded by them in a place where he wouldn’t be swamped by fans 24/7. It had backfired though, and meant that the Foxhole was consistently fully booked.

Even at the best of times, this would be bad for Neil, because in crowds, the chance of someone recognizing him was always that much greater. But Kevin Day being there made it impossible. When Neil was much younger, and still going by his real name, he’d met Kevin and Riko in person when his Father, an influential politician from Baltimore, played a cameo in one of their movies.

His Father wasn’t just a politician though- he was a criminal who had seen an opportunity on set that day and taken it. He kidnapped Kevin and forced Neil to help. His Mother found out and ran away with him so that when the police tracked him down, she and Neil wouldn’t go down with his ship. He’d never understood why she didn’t just go to the police, and he wasn’t about to go have a meet and greet with Kevin to try figure it out.

“You may have heard of Kevin Day’s retreat to the Foxhole,” Wymack said, seemingly oblivious to Neil’s panic attack, “because it sure seems like everyone else has. His presence means we have more customers than ever, and therefore we need more staff. Hernandez wrote to me with your… situation, and now I’m here.”

“No.” Neil ground out. “No, I won’t do it. I don’t want to work with you.”

“You’ll get to the opportunity to meet Kevin himself,” Wymack said, as if that would help, as if he wasn’t digging himself into a deeper hole with every word.

“I don’t want that!” Neil hissed.

“Well, that’s disappointing,” came a voice from behind Wymack. Neil knew who it came from even before he wheeled himself out.

Sitting in a wheelchair in front of him was Kevin _fucking_ Day.

"I was quite looking forward to meeting you."


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've got lots planned for the next few chapters! Starting, right... here!

There was no doubt about it- Kevin Day was sitting right in front of Neil, arms crossed and his mouth curled into a sneer. He wore a mint green polo shirt and dark denim jeans, with his iconic #2 stitched above his heart and on his pockets. Although anger and disappointment warred in his eyes, but there was no recognition.

“Mr. Hernandez spoke so highly of you, Josten,” Kevin said, confirming Neil’s suspicions that his disguise had worked. “And this is what I’m met with?”

“I’m sorry your highness,” Neil replied, “do you want me to curtsy?”

“No,” Kevin hissed, pointing a finger at him and wheeling himself too far into Neil’s personal space for his liking, “but I do want you to listen to Wymack’s offer before you turn it down.”

Hernandez nodded and opened his mouth as if to speak, but he stopped short when he saw the withering look Neil shot him. He raised his hands in defeat, and said meekly, “I’ll show you three to my office so you can discuss this whilst I open up for the day.”

“No,” Neil said, waving him away, “we have nothing to discuss. I’ll open up and take the tickets as usual.”

Hernandez shook his head. “I meant it when I fired you, Neil. This is all for the best.”

Neil scoffed, but Wymack cut off his next scathing remark. “Look, I don’t want to draw this out any longer than I have to. My offer is a full-time job working at the Foxhole Cinema, free access to therapy, healthcare, dentistry, whatever. Free movie tickets too.”

Neil almost laughed. Healthcare meant nothing to him. He’d spent years on the run with his Mother, and for whatever reason, she’d insisted they never go to any hospitals. Even though she’d died a year ago, Neil could still remember how to swallow his pain, stitch up his wounds, and drink himself unconscious. He could take care of anything, from a papercut to a bullet wound. He had a feeling if he said no outright though, Wymack would keep pressing. If he got them off his backs for a few hours, he could pack up and leave Millport behind. He’d clearly stayed too long if he was being sought out like this anyway.

“Can I have a few hours to think about it?” Neil asked no one in particular. He didn’t really care which of the three answered him so long as the answer was yes.

Hernandez sighed in relief, and Kevin nodded. “That’s acceptable. You have until the Millport Cinema closes at the end of today to decide.”

Wymack shot him a dirty look, “You’re not the one who’s meant to be setting out the terms,” he grunted, before turning to Neil, “but also yes, what he said.”

Hernandez sighed again and scurried over to the ticket booth, where he pulled out two tickets printed. The pale yellow paper they were printed on marked them as viewing for a 3D film, and although Neil couldn’t read the small black words on it, he could imagine it was for _**Raven King**_. “Can I offer you some free movie tickets whilst you wait?”

Wymack looked from Kevin, who had gone suspiciously pale, to the tickets in Hernandez’s hands. “Sure, but preferably not Raven King.”

Well that was curious, wasn’t it? Why wouldn’t Kevin Day want to watch his own partner’s newest movie?

Hernandez seemed to be having around the same thoughts, but unlike Neil, he was foolish enough to voice them. “Why not?”

“Trying to avoid publicity at the moment,” Wymack said when it was clear Kevin wasn’t going to answer, “It was hard enough to fly out here without the paparazzi hounding us every damn step of the way.”

Hernandez seemed to accept that excuse and shuffled away to get different tickets, but from the way Kevin bit his bottom lip, and his eyes picked up a glassy, far-away quality, Neil doubted it was the truth. Could there be more to Kevin’s injury then he let on? Neil shook his head to clear it of those thoughts- none of that mattered because he would be out of the state in a few hours, and out of the country in a few more. He’d never been to Canada before. Perhaps that could be his next destination.

Hernandez led Kevin and Wymack towards whatever showing he had lined up for them instead, before opening the doors to let the throngs in and shooing Neil away.

“You don’t work for me anymore,” Hernandez huffed, “off with you to make your choice.”

“Not much of a choice if I only have one option,” Neil grimaced.

Hernandez flashed him a grim smile, and then hurried away to hand out tickets in Neil’s stead. Neil nodded and set off running to the apartment he was currently squatting in. He’d need to get up there, and then pry up the loose floorboard in the kitchen to get his duffel bag, which contained all his fake IDs and coded coordinates leading him to his Mother’s stashes of money across the world. It also kept safe all his clothes and the money he carried with him, as well as more knives than was strictly necessary. He didn’t see any tails as he ran, but his Mother had always taught him _better safe than sorry_ , so he took a longer route that twisted through the heart of the city, relying on the shadows in the grimy alleyways and backroads to keep him safe.

Finally, he was back at the apartment. He removed his lockpicks from the secret compartment in the sole of his shoe and fitted them into the lock, easing them back and forth until it clicked open. It felt a little looser than usual, which was strange. Neil filed that information away in his brain as he took the stairs to his floor two at a time. Keeping an eye out for any possible threat, he strode into the kitchen… only to see Lola Malcolm sitting lazily at his table.

Lola Malcolm, who was one of his Father’s top men. Lola Malcolm, who was supposed to be in jail. Lola Malcolm, who was twirling a knife in her hand, and turning to face Neil.

“Hello Junior,” she cooed.

Neil flinched at her nickname for him.

“It’s good to see you after so long.”

“You should be in jail,” Neil spat at her, fighting to stay steady on his feet. He couldn’t run- he had to get the duffel bag or running would be useless. He couldn’t go anywhere without it.

“And you should be with Daddy dearest,” Lola chirped in her infuriating sing-song voice, “but we don’t all get what we deserve, do we?”

“What do you want with me?” Neil hissed, feeling the lockpicks in his clammy palm. They were small and thin, and sharp enough to cause some damage if dug into someone’s skin.

“I want you to come back home,” she smiled, spinning the knife frighteningly fast, “Daddy will be free in about half a year, but I came to collect you early because it seems you need to be house-trained again, ready for his return.”

“Fuck off. I’m not going with you,” Neil said.

“Oh really?”

“Really.”

Neil took a deep breath, shifted his weight to the balls of his feet and lunged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do I enjoy torturing you?  
> No...maybe...yes
> 
> I've figured out my updating schedule too, which is good. I'm going to add a chapter every Saturday and Sunday (GMT), which gives me time to write the chapters to good quality in my spare time over the week and still have some time to relax on the weekends. So, see you all next Saturday!  
> If you enjoyed this chapter, please feel free to leave kudos and comments!


	3. Chapter Three

Lola was ready for him, sidestepping from the stool she was sat on and away from Neil’s lunge. She hummed and slashed the knife through the air, and it cut through the space where Neil had been seconds earlier. He grabbed the leg of the stool and swung it wildly at Lola. She parried it away with her free hand.

“A stool,” she said, “really Junior? You’re fighting me with a stool and two lockpicks? How low you’ve sunk.”

Neil snarled and hit again with the stool. This time, she went to parry it with the knife and it wedged into the wooden surface. She growled and yanked at it, but it was stuck. Neil rushed forwards and jammed the sharp end of one of the lockpicks through Lola’s pale pink dress and into the fleshy part of her armpit. She let out a pained squeal and let go of the knife to double over on the floor. Neil brought the stool over her head with a resounding crack, and she crumpled into a small heap. Barely daring to breathe, he bent down and used two fingers to search for her pulse. She was still alive, just unconscious. He wouldn’t have long to escape.

He hurried to the loose floorboard and pried it open, but the small space was empty. He stuck his arm in to feel around- maybe he’d just pushed it further down than usual? He staggered backwards, clenching and unclenching his fists as he tried to fight off the panic. He tried counting to 10 in different languages but only got to 6 before Lola, who had already woken up, interrupted him.

She let out a strained laugh, but there was no humour in it. “Oh Junior, I got rid of your papers. You won’t need them where you’re going.”

Neil had taken care of Lola’s dominant arm, but you didn’t work for Neil’s father without a few tricks up your sleeve. Those tricks being knives. Lola’s left hand closed around another knife and she darted forwards, but Neil dodged and brought his leg up to trip her forwards, spinning around to grab her shoulders and force her to her knees.

“Well Junior,” Lola spat, “maybe you haven’t sunk as low as I thought. You really are your Father’s son.”

Neil flinched at that, and Lola used his moment of hesitation to spring back to her feet and spin the blade around so the hilt was facing Neil. She flashed him a toothy grin and slammed the blunt end into Neil’s face. He stumbled, his back meeting the counter. He was trapped, and he only had one lockpick left. Lola raised her knife ready to stab him, and Neil acted on instinct, his arms shooting forwards and the lockpick piercing right through Lola’s wrist. Her knife clattered to the floor and she let out a shrill scream, doubling over and clutching her injured wrist.

Neil brought his knee right into Lola’s jaw and she toppled backwards, sprawled out on the floor.

“You may have taken me down, Junior,” Lola groaned, words slurring together, “but you can’t take us all down. Nowhere in the entire state will be safe for you ever again.”

Neil needed to escape, but without his fake passports and IDs, he couldn’t get out of the country. She'd disposed of his money too, so he couldn’t even get a taxi to leave the state. The walls were closing in on him and he was trapped, trapped, trapped…

Unless he took Wymack’s offer. The Foxhole Cinema was out of the state, and in the public eye enough to hide in plain sight. It wasn’t a good plan, seeing as he would be in close quarters with Kevin, and surrounded by crowds, but it was the only plan he had. It would have to work.

Sparing no more than a cursory glance for Lola, he fled the apartment and hightailed it back to the Millport Cinema. The crowds were bustling around the doors, waiting for friends, or for their showing. A sign reading _**Raven King** Opening Day_ was plastered above all the chaos. Neil ducked and shimmied through the crowds, shouldering a few people out of the way. Wymack and Kevin were just coming out of their movie, which looked to be the 3rd _**Market Madness**_ movie or something. Neil vaguely remembered seeing adverts for the 1st one in Stuttgart whilst on the run with his Mother.

Kevin saw him and crossed his arms. “You’re back early. I was under the impression you would want all the time you were offered to make your decision.”

“I’ll take the job if I can go today,” Neil said.

Wymack raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t go down well with the family?”

Neil paused. “You could say that.”

His father, Nathan Wesninski, had always thought of Lola as family, maybe even more than he thought his wife, Mary Hatford, had been.

“We’ll get you a plane ticket and you’ll come back with us.”

Neil groaned internally. “I can’t take the plane,” he said carefully, “they tore up my passport.”

“They-” Kevin started before petering out. “What?”

“Christ,” Wymack sighed. “Fine, I’ll pay for a Taxi for you.”

Neil nodded gratefully. “Thank you.”

“Any belongings?” Wymack asked, peering around Neil as if looking for suitcases.

“The clothes on my back,” Neil answered curtly.

Kevin groaned. “Does your family have something against me?”

“Yes,” Neil answered truthfully.

“Great,” Wymack grimaced. “Minyard will have a blast with this one.

“Who?” Neil asked.

Kevin waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. “Irrelevant. You’ll meet him soon enough.”

So, Minyard was a him. Neil wondered what authority this person had over Kevin. Perhaps someone in charge of his safety? No, that couldn’t be it, or he would be here with the pair.

“We’ll need to find him accommodation,” Kevin said to Wymack, who snorted.

“Josten, you can stay with me until we figure something out.”

Neil winced. His father had beaten it into him not to trust middle-aged men, and here he was, about to live with one. But Wymack seemed to notice his reaction and sighed deeply, rubbing his face.

“Or,” Wymack said to Neil slowly, “you could stay with Abby until we figure something.”

“She makes our popcorn,” Kevin explained, absentmindedly picking at the wheel of his wheelchair, “she’s a dear.”

Neil sighed in relief. Staying with this Abby person sounded like a much safer bet than staying with Wymack. Maybe this way, he could avoid Minyard’s wrath as well.

With that settled, Wymack hailed a cab and paid for the driver, a slender, well-dressed Asian man, to take him to “23 Foxgrove Lane, Palmetto State.” Within half an hour, Neil was on his way. He’d escaped Lola and the rest of his Father’s posse, and only time would tell if hiding in plain sight was a good tactic or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. 
> 
> So, I think I underestimated how long it would take to write a chapter. Every Saturday and Sunday just isn't a realistic goal for me- I think I'll have to stick with just every Saturday for now. Thank you for your patience, and I hope you enjoyed the Chapter! I'll be back with another one around this time next week.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it, feel free to leave kudos or comments! I'll do my best to respond to them!


End file.
